Anthrax outbreak fear after goat meat meal

November 29, 2017

At least three out of more than 30 villagers in Tak who consumed goat meat are suspected of having contracted anthrax after they developed characteristic symptoms of the disease.

Doctors are still awaiting the results of tests conducted on samples of the animals’ carcasses to see if they were infected, Thawatchai Setthasupphana, director of state-run Mae Sot Hospital in Mae Sot district, said yesterday.

Several dead goats were delivered to the villagers, who were unclear about their history.

After consuming the meat, several people grew sick and showed symptoms but then took antibiotics before the tests were administered, which Dr Thawatchai said may have compromised the tests for which the results returned were negative.

Anthrax is a communicable disease caused by the Bacillus anthracis bacterium that spreads via contact with the bacteria’s spores, often from infected animal products.